The Poet and the Pendulum
by dsmith141
Summary: Ok this is a challenge that I received from my friend Hello Spikey of Livejournal. She challenged me to write a story about a newly chipped Spike going bumping into 'good samaritan' Tara on campus after escaping from the initiative.
1. The Poet and the Pendulum

Author: Dsmith141  
Title: The Poet and the Pendulum  
Summary: Ok this is a challenge that I received from my friend Hello_Spikey of LJ. She challenged me to write a story about a newly chipped Spike going to Tara for help.  
Rating: M/15 for bad language but there shouldn't be a lot more than that  
Disclaimer: We should be past this but for various legal and copyright reasons I must stress how very much I DO NOT OWN THIS UNIVERSE. I'm just gonna play with it. I promise I'll put it back when I'm done.  
Timeline: OK set in season 4 of Buffy at the end of the episode "The Initiative" but from there on out its all mine so anything that happens in the show may not necessarily be included. Oh and Spike obviously knows that it's a micro-chip 'cause he's the clever deductive sort and Tara is Bi not a lesbian. Also any involvement we have from the Angel team will be from season 3 or 4 so it's a little AU because of timeline jiggling.

**The Poet and the Pendulum**

Riley and his unit raced up the stairs scattering students as they ran through the halls. They flew down the hall and reached Willow's room. The door was immediately smashed from its hinges and Willow raced out knocking them out of the way. One of the commandoes immediately pointed their tranquilizer gun at Willow.

Riley reacted quickly immediately ordering the soldier "No, hold your fire!"

Spike rushed out and slammed Graham into a wall with Willow cowering in a corner. He dove over to bite Graham causing his head to explode with pain from the chip.

"It's on me!" Spike dipped his head back down to the commando's neck to receive yet another blast of pain to echo throughout his skull.

"Aah!"

"Move!"

Spike struggled against the clutches of the commandos but was eventually contained.

"Bag it, tag it. We're gone. Sir... Civilian. Could've turned." He nodded his head towards Willow who was still cowering in a corner.

Riley glanced over to the frightened redhead and shook his head "Leave her."

"We can't neglect quarantine, sir! "

During the argument Spike seized his chance and broke free from the clutches of his oppressors. He grabbed a fire extinguisher and smashed a commando with it receiving another short burst through his skull. Another soldier went to shoot him, but he held up the extinguisher and the bullet perforated the shell making the hall fill with CO2 gas. Willow immediately bolted to run.

"Stop her!"

A commando grabbed her and held her up in front of his face, "She's contained."

Buffy ran around the corner to see her friend in the clutches of a soldier "Contain this!"

The commando who was holding Willow turned around and is blinded as his night vision goggles were overloaded by the intense flash of a flare gun shot from the hands of the slayer. The flare bounced around the corridor blinding the soldiers, stunning them enough for Willow to run back into her room, prompted by Buffy.

The commandoes tore off their goggles, throwing them to the floor "Aah! Ow! I'm blind! What the hell was that?"

Buffy began to fight the commandos and was redirected into a wall by Riley and the lingering Spike took his chance and fled, tearing through the corridors.

The vampire jumped over the banisters of the stair set and raced down the corridor, colliding violently with a blonde student, clutching towels and a wash bag. He rose from the floor in full game face due to the pain in his skull to see the blonde standing there, her belongings left on the floor. She looked puzzled at him and gasped, stuttering "Y-you're a vampire."

Spike inhaled deeply. He could feel the power radiating from the blonde. "You don't seem so surprised"

"I've lived h-here for years and you're kind aren't inconspicuous"

"What's your name witch?"

"H-how did you know I was a witch?"

"The amount of power you're givin' off could power Vegas"

Tara looked at him and thought. "Why haven't you killed me yet?"  
Spike sighed and anger bubbled inside him "bloody can't can I. Soddin' government stuck a bloody chip in my soddin' head and now I can't cause pain or even think about it without my head bein fried"

The girl giggled lightly at the frustrated English cursing which caused Spike to calm down slightly.

"Bloody glad someone finds it so funny"  
"Sorry but flustered Englishmen are f-funny"

Spike looked at the shy, blushing blonde and smiled. He heard the thundering of boots stampeding down the stairs. "Shit, soldiers are back. Bye pet."

The witch bit her lip and thought. "Wait they'll see you. Get in here" She ushered the vampire into her dorm room and managed to close the door just as the first soldier reached the bottom of the stairs.

"Pet. Why are you doing this?"

"I-I don't like the idea o-of living things being e-experimented on."

"You do remember the whole me being a vampire part?"

"Y-yes but d-demons are no more different than p-predatory animals"

Spike stood and thought for a moment, "never thought of it that way pet."

The blonde smiled and walked further into her room and filled the kettle, switching it on, "Do you w-want some tea?"

"Yes please pet."  
"Milk?"

"Yep"  
"Sugar?"  
"No thanks luv I'm sweet enough" The vampire smirked at the witch. "So what's your name?"

"Tara. T-Tara Maclay. What's yours?"

"Spike"

"Spike?"

"Yep. Human name was William but he was a different person. Nothing like me"

"H-how so?" Tara sat on the floor, legs crossed in front of her, intrigued by the vampire.  
"When I was human I was a poet. Bloody awful one but a poet all the same. When Dru turned me things changed. I went from being this sensitive bloke to being a raging monster in a period of weeks and I've never looked back. Now I've got this bloody chip in my head I feel pathetic. Not even a whole vamp. Like a bloody caged animal."

"H-how do you know it's a chip?"

"Saw the little remote control in soldier boy's belt, turns it on and off. Writin' on the top said Behaviour Modification Micro-technology. Put two and two together"

"S-so they put a microchip in your head and it's c-changing your natural behaviour?"

"Looks like"

"Damnit"

"What?"

"N-nothing, it's just I voted for the current president" She looked at Spike and smiled slightly.

"Bloody hell. Makin' jokes at my expense already. I don't scare you at all do I"

He smiled at her and she grinned back, "N-not in the least."

He looked at the witch as he brought his mug to his lips. He searched her eyes for any sense of fear but all he saw was laughter, with a deep-set pain that had been long forgotten lingering in the background.

"Come on then pet, is my turn. What's left that hurt in you that you're coverin' up?"

She took a mouthful of her tea and hung her head and whispered, her smile forgotten "Family troubles."

"Had my share of them pet."

She brought her gaze back up to his eye-line and spoke glumly, "Oh really? I think I c-could trump whatever you care to throw at me."

"Pet I loved my mom more than anything in the world but she was dying. Do you know what the first thing I did when I was turned was? I turned my mom to save her life but as soon as she rose that love, that happiness, the brightness that had been my mother was gone so I killed her with my own hands."

"I-I'm sorry"

"Don't be, all in the past now isn't it."

"I s-suppose. My m-mom was a witch but my father t-told me she was a demon. She was ill for a long time too and she d-died when I was 17 and I was raised thinking that I was part demon just l-like her, just because she had magical abilities. When my m-mom died I walked out. I rebelled and left." Tara choked on her suppressed tears as she raised her mug to her mouth again, her hair covering her face.

"There's no demon in you, pet. I'd sense it."

"Oh I know. One of the f-first spells I did was to c-check. It was just something my f-father used to control me and my m-mom."

"Sounds like a right git."

"Y-yea"

The two sat in silence for a short while, drinking their tea and thinking about their families. Tara is the first to speak up, her sadness once again buried behind the walls she's constructed within herself. "O-ok my turn again n-now. Tell me s-something about your days as a vampire"

"Hmm. Got plenty of stories. Best one is from world war two. Me, Dru and Angelus were in Poland around the time of the holocaust. We were evil but even we hated the Nazi's. Genocide is wrong in any language, any species. We bumped into a commandant in a bar one night, boasting about how many people he'd added to the mass grave that day and Angelus lost it. Some of his ancestors were Jewish so he was pissed. Hit a little close to home. He grabbed this commandant and told me and Dru to round up his friends. We tied them up, broke their kneecaps and put them in the back of their van. Angelus refused to drink from them. Said he wanted them to suffer before they died. We drove them to Auschwitz and put them in the furnace, turned it on low and locked them in there for a bit. Let them burn and scream, took them back out and threw them in the gas chamber. We were gonna release the prisoners but Dru said we weren't allowed. Told us the timeline had been set and we weren't allowed to do any more to stop it. She made us let one of the soldiers go. Angelus tortured her for days to vent his frustration."

Tara sat before the vampire, a smile playing on her lips. When Spike finished his story he looked puzzled. "What's the joke pet?"

"Just the i-irony. Nazi brags about how many J-Jews he gassed in the chamber so you b-burn him and throw him in there. P-poetic justice don't you think"

"You're bloody right there luv. Plenty more stories where that one came from."

"T-tell me"

"Hope you're not too squeamish pet."

Spike smirked at the witch as she settles herself to listen to more of his stories, their mugs discarded, forgotten. The two were engrossed in their conversation for hours. Spike looked up at the clock and saw the digital numbers.

"Shit. Sorry pet but I've gotta go."

"Oh my god we were up all night?"

"Seems so pet."

"W-we should do this again sometime."

"Sure pet. How about tonight?"

"Yea sure. M-meet me at the Espresso Pump."

"Sounds good pet. I'll see you then."

"When?"

"Soon as the sun goes down." Spike stood and in a flurry of black leather he was gone, the back of his coat flipping around the door.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Donut duty. It was the night of their weekly sweep of the books for prophecies. The books were out and Xander wasn't at Giles' yet so she'd been sent to the Espresso Pump for "research supplies" or in the common tongue, coffee and donuts. She turned from her place at the counted to see the blonde girl from her Wicca group sitting opposite the corner seat, laughing and leaning back into her chair. Willow's curiosity was piqued. Tara had always seemed so shy but here she looked anything but, she seemed to have come out of her shell. She walked away from the coffee shop intent on identifying the source of Tara's happiness to see him sitting in the corner, snarling lightly. Willow froze before turning and running for all she was worth. One run-in with Spike could have been put down to coincidence, or him drinking heavily, but two never came up good. The witch fled, her red mane whipping out behind her. She ran until she reached the librarian's house where she crashed through the door, almost taking it off of its hinges.

"Guys we have a problem. Spike's using magic."

The gang stared back at her, mouths gaping. Giles removed his glasses and massaged the bridge of his nose, mainly feeling the pain from his abused front door.

"Willow would you care to explain how you, er, reached this conclusion?"

"He was sitting in the Espresso Pump with a girl I know from school and-and she was laughing and relaxed and he was in game face and snarling something."

"You reached this conclusion because Spike made a girl laugh?"

"No Giles. Tara's too shy to be like that. If you knew her and if you'd seen her you'd know something was wrong. He's either using a spell or he's hunting again and was just using her for fun."

Buffy stood up and looked at her friend's clear distress. "Giles I think we should check it out, find out what he's up too. This is twice in two days we've bumped into him. This can't be good."

"I'm with Buff, G-man let's mount up"

Giles thought for a moment as he cleaned his glasses and placed them back onto the bridge of his nose. "Well I suppose there's no harm in doing a little surveillance but we don't attack in public unless someone's life is in danger. We mustn't cause panic"

Buffy smiled at Willow, happy with the situation, and turned to the weapons chest, doling out discreet weapons to her companions before leading them out into the Sunnydale night.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The vampire and the witch sat at the Espresso Pump laughing together, relaying stories about their pasts. When Spike had impersonated the way he snarled at a wall-street banker before the crash Tara had almost wept with laughter. She hadn't even noticed the redhead fleeing behind her. She didn't register the creature before her as a vampire any more. He was now a friend and his species no longer mattered to her. They talked late into the night, once again their drinks discarded. During an eventual gap in the conversation Spike took a mouthful of his tea and grimaced.

"Eurgh. Pet why do we bother with the tea."

Tara picked up her mug and dipped a finger in the brown liquid inside, only to withdraw it rapidly due to the extremely low temperature.

"Oops. W-we kinda talked too much"

"We tend to do that pet" The vampire's eyes glinted again with his smug yet flirty glint as he ran his tongue over his blunt teeth.

"I should p-probably get back to my dorm. I've gotta be up sometime before 3 o clock tomorrow" The blonde witch gave her own version of the vampire's trademark look causing Spike to cock his head slightly as he returned her gaze.

"Hate to be an inconvenience pet"

Tara blushed "N-not inconvenient. Just slightly difficult as far as sleeping hours are concerned" She looked up at the end of her sentence to give a shy smile to find the vampire with a smug grim plastered across his face.

"Slight allergy to sunlight pet. You go get some sleep, I've got some house hunting to do."

"Y-you're looking for a house?"

"Less a house more a nice crypt."

"Ooooh not cliché at all"

Spike was once again taken aback by the sarcastic humour of the blonde causing another grin to spread across his features. "When should I meet you pet?"

"Well I've gotta w-work tomorrow night but I can meet you afterwards"

"I'll look forward to it. Where do you work?"

"Just meet me here."

The vampire watched the witch leave before swirling away off in the direction of the closest cemetery to begin his search. He barely made it around the corner before he was grabbed and smashed into a wall by the Slayer and her hunting party. He looked down to find the small blonde holding him up against the wall with her hand and the tip of a silver shortsword up against his throat.

"Spike, what are you up to?"

"What"

Willow stepped forward and stood beside Buffy, "What were you doing with Tara?"

"Talking. We're friends. Last time I checked that wasn't a crime"

Buffy scoffed, "Spike, you're a vampire. You don't have friends"

"Sod off slayer, take you and your army of pillocks with toothpicks elsewhere. I'm not doin' anything wrong."

"Oh yea well maybe I should just kill you to be sure"

"Yea right" Spike kicked Buffy in the gut, causing her to drop him and pain to course through his skull as he staggered off in the direction of the cemetery, leaving the scoobies to deal with the downed slayer. By the time they had recovered from the sudden shock the blonde vampire had disappeared into the distance.

"I should probably talk to Tara about this. See if she remembers anything, the spell would probably make her memories black out."

"Good idea. We need to find out what's going on."

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Tara awoke the next morning with the same feeling of happiness which she had taken with her to bed. Her relationship with Spike had bloomed and in two days she already felt like he knew more about her than anyone else. She felt that she could be herself around him, she stuttered less. She wasn't nervous when he was there. On the whole she felt at peace around her new friend and she contemplated her new found relationship as she readied herself for class and walked across campus. Her art history class seemed to fly by without any of the Professor's words permeating the thick haze of glee which surrounded her. She walked idly through the halls after class, her smile never leaving her face.

"Tara, Tara wait up."

The blonde turned to see the redheaded girl from her Wicca group run up to her. "Hey W-willow"

"Hi, how're you doin'?"

"I'm great."

"You're looking a bit dazed there"

Tara snapped out of her daze for a moment as her vacancy hit her, "I'm just r-really happy. I had a r-really great night last night."

Willow gulped inwardly but managed to keep her cool for the most part, "What, er, what did you get up to last night?"

"I was just h-hanging out with this guy I met. I really like him. We just s-sat and t-talked and laughed for hours"

"What does he look like?"

"Blonde, l-leather trench coat. Quite m-muscular. Cheekbones s-so chiselled you know that there m-must be a god." Tara blushed and giggled shyly.

Willow blanched. Tara remembered everything. But her daze, surely it must be a spell. She had to tell Buffy. "Well I've gotta go now. Got a paper due tomorrow so I've gotta finish tying it off"

Tara was back in her glee filled daze and barely noticed that the redhead had left. She knew that there was something special about the vampire but she didn't know what. All she knew was that she had to see him again.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Willow ran back to the dorm room to find it empty. She immediately grabbed the phone and called Buffy on her cell.

"_Hello"_

"Hi. It's Willow"  
_  
"Any News on Tara?"_

"She remembers everything but today she looked all dazed and vacant. There's gotta be a spell"

"_Ok meet at Giles' at 7. We'll meet there and then we'll follow her. See what happens. If she meets him then we'll stake him before he can hurt her"  
_  
"Ok I'll see you there" Willow heard the line go dead and she replaced the phone into the cradle. She paced back and forth across the room scanning her mind for any spell or potion that could be afflicting her colleague.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The gang gathered at the ex-watcher's house at 7 o clock. Willow was the last to arrive and she'd barely made it through the door before she'd been handed a stake and was being herded out of the door. The group spotted the vampire leaving the cemetery at the end of Sunnydale's main street. They hung back and followed as he walked up to the Espresso Pump to see the blonde witch waiting for him. Buffy's gaze hung on the two and saw the happy daze that hung around the girl.

"How do we tell if it's a spell?"

"Willow, focus. See if you can pick up a magical aura coming from their direction"

The redhead concentrated on the pair of blondes up the street and was immediately hit by a huge warming wave of magic. "It's a spell. And a powerful one too."

Buffy turned to the gang. "Ok you guys head on back. I don't want you to get hurt."

"You sure Buffy?"

Giles looked at the slayer and nodded, "Buffy's right. Spike is a master vampire and is a threat to us in any case. If he's using magic that just makes him worse."

The gang agreed with the ex-librarian and turned, heading off towards his house. Buffy faced the vampire and followed the two blondes as they moved in the other direction. She ran after them and dove for Spike, her stake extended to pierce his back. His vampire hearing picked up her thundering footfalls and turned mid-step to swat her away with the palm of his hand, while ducking out of the way with Tara shielded under his other arm. Spike left Tara standing at the side of the road as he squared up against the rising slayer.

Buffy launched attacks at Spike who parried them with ease he swung back and launched his own fist at the slayer only to be thrown back by the pain in his head. The agony blinded him and he rolled on the floor with pain. He opened his eyes to see only an infinite number of white dots clouding his vision. Buffy moved closer to stake him. Her hand fell with the stake clasped in her fist. Tara panicked and magic flared within her. Spike turned his head to see Buffy's hand approaching his chest and waited for the inevitable feeling of pain, only to have it denied as Buffy was thrown backwards as though struck by an invisible hammer.

Spike looked at Tara as she crumpled to the floor and heard a slam and a screech of tires and then a smash. He ran to the witch and looked back for the slayer, to see her lying slumped through a wall. Her flight had been intercepted by a bus, which had only added to her momentum, throwing her through half a foot of cement. He turned and quickly picked up the passed out witch, feeling for her pulse, as he ran with her to the student halls, leaving the slayer behind.


	2. Snow White Queen

Author: Dsmith141  
Title: The Poet and the Pendulum  
Summary: Ok this is a challenge that I received from my friend Hello_Spikey of LJ. She challenged me to write a story about a newly chipped Spike going to Tara for help.  
Rating: M/15 for bad language but there shouldn't be a lot more than that  
Disclaimer: We should be past this but for various legal and copyright reasons I must stress how very much I DO NOT OWN THIS UNIVERSE. I'm just gonna play with it. I promise I'll put it back when I'm done.  
Timeline: OK set in season 4 of Buffy at the end of the episode "The Initiative" but from there on out its all mine so anything that happens in the show may not necessarily be included. Oh and Spike obviously knows that it's a micro-chip 'cause he's the clever deductive sort and Tara is Bi not a lesbian. Also any involvement we have from the Angel team will be from season 3 or 4 so it's a little AU because of timeline jiggling.

**Snow White Queen**

Tara's eyes fluttered as they opened, reacting poorly to the light. She squinted and opened them again slowly to allow them to adjust. Her head was throbbing as though she was lying on a speaker at a rock concert. Her eyes adjusted to the light and her room swam into view. She looked across to the door to her room to see Spike leaning back against the wall, his shirt and jacket discarded. He met her gaze and his muscles rippled as he launched forward, dropping to his knees beside the witch.

"You okay?"

"Yea I-I think so."

"That was some powerful mojo you pulled back there pet"

"W-what happened?"

"No Idea, all I know is that the Slayer was about to stake me. Braced myself for the inevitable and next thing I know is the Slayer's flyin' into a bus and smashin' walls and you're on the floor. Picked you up and brought you here. Figured you needed some lookin' after. "

"W-was anyone hurt?"

"Just the Slayer I think but she'll be fine. Just pissed more than anythin'"

"How l-long was I out?"

"About 6 hours. It's half 2 in the morning'" Spike looked deep into the eyes of the witch, the concern showing all over his face. He was an open book to her. "Are you sure you're okay?"

"I'll be fine. Just pretty drained." The blonde looked up weakly and lightly ran her hand over the cheekbones of the vampire. "T-thank you."

"For what pet?"

"For p-protecting me, taking care of me."

"Couldn't well just leave you now could I?" Spike looked down at Tara and smiled. He reached up and took her hand in his feeling her warmth spread through his fingers. "They think I've got you under a spell pet. That's why they're after us"

"What do you mean?"

"They can sense the magic in the air around you and they think the only reason you're happy being around me is because of a spell. They don't know just how powerful you are."

"Why can't they just accept that I like you?"

Spike snorted "They see vampires as black and white pet, no gray area. And no scratch that. There's very little white. They don't think we're capable of holding friendships."

Tara squeezed his hand weakly and smiled "They don't know you like I do."

Spike looked down into her glistening green eyes and saw the love and happiness held within and he smiled "No they don't pet."

"I t-think I love you Spike"

"I know how you feel pet. I've only known you for a coupla days but you're all I can think about" Spike lowered his head to hers and their lips brushed together lightly. All the feeling encapsulated in their words was transferred in that one brief moment of contact. Spike lowered himself back to her lips and deepened the kiss, his lips pressing harder against hers, his tongue daring out and begging for entrance.

The wooden door behind them was suddenly blown off its hinges, Tara opened her eyes without breaking the kiss to see Buffy standing in the doorway. The little magic that had recuperated in her flared and Spike was thrown backwards, landing face up at the feet of the Slayer, clutching his head with one hand and blocking her rapidly falling foot with the other. He sprang to his feet and faced her, his fangs sharp and glistening as he snarled at the short blonde before him. Buffy swung her fist out to the vampire but he dodged it easily and punched the slayer in the side of the head, sending her spiralling across the room. He braced himself for the pain but it didn't come. He looked at the terrified witch, who had reverted to cowering in the corner and mouthed his thanks before another fist was flung at his face. This time he smiled, he caught the punch with his right hand and, holding the wrist, slammed his left forearm through the elbow of the Slayer, snapping her arm in half. The blonde shrieked in pain as she was twirled effortlessly in the air by the wrist of her now useless arm and thrown across the room, shattering the glass of the window and plummeting to the concrete floor of the quad below.

The vampire ran to the window and looked down to see the blonde get up, tears staining her cheeks and run, limping across the quad and out of the distant archway. Spike turned back into the room, his human visage firmly back in place. He looked straight for the corner which had been occupied by the witch to see her on her feet in the middle of the room. Spike's face was immediately covered by a look of guilt and apology.

"I'm sorry you had to see that pet."

"I-it's fine. I'm just a little shaken that's all." The gentle loving smile which was so often fixed to her face had returned and Spike relaxed, relief spreading through him. The witch walked up to the vampire and kissed him before turning on her heels, grabbing a jacket and walking slowly out of the door, her strength returning with every step. Spike was hot on her heels as he saw her stride meaningfully towards the stairs and ascent them as fast as she was able. She strode along the corridor until she reached Willow's dorm room and she immediately started banging on the door, Spike towering behind her. Willow answered the door to see the angry lovers standing in the corridor, glaring at her as though attempting to make her burst into flames. Tara stepped forward so she was face to face with the redhead.

"I suggest that you keep your friend away from me and my boyfriend in future because twice tonight she's almost been killed. If you have any care for her life then keep her away from us."

"But Tara he's a vampire. And wait did-did you just say boyfriend? Since-since when?"

Tara looked up at Spike lovingly to see his slightly shocked smirk looking back at her, "Now."

"But Tara he's a vampire"

"I don't care. He makes me happy and it's none of your business."

The blonde turned on her heels and left with Spike following her with glee at the way his witch had came out of her shell. That was going to take some getting used to. HIS witch. Another smirk crossed his face as he looked down at the beauty which had decided to show an interest in him.

"What do you say we go back to my place pet. Less chance of us being disturbed."

Tara turned and looked up innocently at him, "I like that idea."

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The redhead ran back across her room to the phone and immediately dialled Giles' number. She was faced with a very flustered and worried librarian on the other end of the line

"Hey Giles, our problems have escalated."

"Yes I'm aware. Buffy has just been here and is now on her way to the hospital with Xander. She's had a rough night of it to say the least."

"H-hospital? what happened?"

"Spike broke her arm apparently."

"He can hurt people again?"

"Yes."

"Giles, this thing with Tara isn't a spell. I can feel it. The daze was gone today, she was normal."

"Well even so we can't have Spike around if he's able to kill. Buffy is likely to be in the hospital for a few days but as soon as she's out I propose we all go and hunt down Spike and kill him."

"Why wait?"

"Because without Buffy we don't stand a chance. I'm going to the hospital now to talk with the doctors."

"I'll meet you there." With that the redhead hung up the phone and grabbed her jacket, closing the door behind her as she ran to the hospital.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Two days later Buffy left Sunnydale Emergency Hospital, her arm encased in plaster, supported by a sling and laid across her stomach. She walked out of the front doors to see Giles standing in the car park, leaning against his car.

"Buffy are you ok?"

"A little achy but I'm ready for action"

"Are you sure?"

"Giles I'm fine. Just give me a crossbow and lets go get rid of this pain in my ass."

Giles resigned himself to defeat on the issue. He thought she needed to rest up for a few days but she'd managed to convince herself and the others that she would be ok and so he was defeated by democracy rule. He turned and handed the slayer a crossbow as the others got out, before locking the doors and walking away in the direction of the cemeteries. While Buffy had been in hospital Giles and Xander had paid Willy a visit to find out the location of Spike's new home. The slimy bartender had caved easily enough when Xander threatened to burn down his bar so now the gang new exactly where they were going. They walked with purpose through St. Mary's Cemetery. It was twilight so no fledglings had risen yet and they expected to be able to quickly kill Spike as he was waking up. The four hunters kicked open the door to the crypt, Buffy moving in first. They were met with the shocked green globes of the witch.

"Tara where's Spike?"

Tara's eyes flared angrily at the ignorance of the four, "He's downstairs. I suggest you leave before he comes back up."

Willow stepped forward pleading with the witch "Tara we have to kill him. He's dangerous. We can't let him be free to kill."

"He won't. He's been on bagged blood since we started going out."

"Tara you can't stop him from killing forever. It's in his nature."

"He's changed."

Buffy snorted. "I can't believe you bought that. Of course he hasn't changed. He'll kill you an everyone else as soon as he gets the chance."

Tara stood up angrily and stood strong before the four hunters "No he won't. The only person he'll kill is you and I don't really think I WANT to stop him doing that. Get the hell out before I make you."

Spike climbed the ladder to the upper floor of his home to see his witch standing before the four hunters. As soon as Buffy saw him she shoved Tara aside with her good arm and loosed a bolt at the vampire, who dodged it with ease. Tara was left lying on her back on the floor as she watched crossbow bolts sail wildly across the room, none of them meeting their mark. Buffy fired a second round and its flight was true. Magic flared within her and the bolt was slapped across the room. Tara levitated in front of the four, the colour escaping from her clothes leaving her shining bright white. Her hair glowed with magic and her eyes were a bright white with green swirling inside of them. The magic racked in the air around her as her hair flew back behind her as though blown by a strong wind.

"LEAVE! NOW!" At her words the four were blown backwards through the concrete wall of the crypt and left sprawled and unconscious on the floor of the graveyard. Spike stepped forward from the back wall of the crypt, touching the shoulder of the witch. At his touch she softened, her eyes returned to normal and her feel lowered to touch the ground.

"You wanna blow this joint pet?"

Tara was shaken by what she had just achieved, "Oh my god what have I done. Where can I go? I can't leave Sunnydale I've got school and.."

Spike's hand reached up and he touched her lips with his index finger, silencing her as tears threatened to tumble down her cheeks. "It's ok pet. There are schools in other places. I'll tell you what. How about we go to LA. My poofy bloody sire can look after us there until I think of something ok?"

"What about school?"

"We can sort it over the phone when we get there ok? We're never gonna have and peace here pet."

Tara thought for a moment and then sighed in defeat, "I suppose so."

"Stutter's gone pet?"

"I think it's the magic."

"That's what's got you lookin all sexy and innocent as well then" Spike smirked at the witch as she let out a breath of laughter as the smile returned to her face. She wiped the remaining wetness from her eyes as she laughed and the two strode out into the now dark Sunnydale evening.

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**_A/N: Ok guys there's chapter 2. Any and all feedback is requested but this next part is very important so please pay attention. I'm not sure whetheer or not to write a chapter involving the gang in LA. This would be where a more AU element would come in due to some timeline jiggling as I'd only write in the AI crew from end of season 3 to the beginning of season 4 (mainly because I love Fred, Gunn and Lorne and I want them to have the hotel, if not the W&H offices) But yea this parts up to you. If you want more then say so, if not, say so. All in all review and tell me whether or not to write another chapter. Thas all folks. Much love xx_**


	3. The Dawning of the Golden Age

hoAuthor: Dsmith141

Title: The Poet and the Pendulum

Summary: Ok this is a challenge that I received from my friend Hello_Spikey of Livejournal. She challenged me to write a story about a newly chipped Spike going to Tara for help.

Rating: M/15 for bad language but there shouldn't be a lot more than that

Disclaimer: We should be past this but for various legal and copyright reasons I must stress how very much I DO NOT OWN THIS UNIVERSE. I'm just gonna play with it. I promise I'll put it back when I'm done.

Timeline: OK set in season 4 of Buffy at the end of the episode "The Initiative" but from there on out its all mine so anything that happens in the show may not necessarily be included. Also any involvement we have from the Angel team will be from early season 3 before Darla dropped her bombshell so it's a little AU because of timeline jiggling.

**The Pharaoh Sails to Orion**

The blonde lovers sat in the Desoto as they powered through the desert at the start of their three hour journey. The two sat relatively quietly, the radio preventing the silence from becoming overly awkward. Spike's hands clasped the wheel loosely as Tara gazed out of the window, lost in her own thoughts.

"Spike?"

"Yea pet?"

"We kinda need to talk about...you know...ground rules."

"How do you mean?"

"Well with you being a vampire we kinda need to discuss your...feeding habits"

"What's there to discuss pet?"

"I-I don't feel comfortable with you feeding from humans. I mean if you get the blood from a blood bank or something that'd be fine but I don't feel comfortable with you killing...people."

Spike snorted. "I was wonderin' when this was gonna come up pet. Don't worry I won't kill if you don't want me to. It'll be hard but I'm sure I can stop. Was gonna ask Peaches about it actually."

"So you don't mind?"

"Na. Expected it to be honest. Humans tend not to take too kindly to vampires killin' their kind. Knew I wouldn't be able to carry on killin' when I fell for you. 's a sacrifice I'm willing to make to be with you"

Tara looked at her lover and smiled "Thank you."

"It's not a problem pet. You've up and moved in a heartbeat for me so it's only right I do this for you. Not givin' up the fags though." Spike looked at her and smirked as she laughed.

"I don't mind them. As long as you don't mind me stealing one every once in a while." Tara gave the vampire a little smirk of her own as his jaw dropped, shocked by the thought of the innocent little witch smoking. He thought of the transformation that had occurred in the past week. The witch had advanced so much and the woman next to him now was so much different from the girl he had knocked over in the corridor the week earlier.

The two drove through the night and arrived in LA at around 2am. Spike stopped at a red light and looked across to the blonde witch beside him. "What you wanna do pet? The night's still young. Fancy a drink?"

"Sounds good. We can ask if anyone knows where Angel is."

"Sounds like a plan there pet."

He peeled out at the first sign of a green light and cruised around the city until he found a brightly lit club in the centre of LA called "Caritas".

"Hmm"

"You don't like it pet?"

"Oh no it's fine I just thought the name was a bit curious"

"It's latin. Means mercy or charity."

"I know. Seems like a strange name for a club."

"Focus pet. Anything else you can make from it?"

The witch sat there and thought for a minute. Focusing hard on the air. "Magic? It's like magic but not."

"It's demon aura pet."

"Ah. Are you sure it's safe?"

"Focus again," he looked at the blonde as she closed her eyes and concentrated hard, "Can you feel that underlying warmth?"

"Yea. I-I feel it. What is that?"

"It feels like a charm. No violence can start within it. Well nothing from anything with supernatural powers"

"How do you know all this?"

"Been round the block a bit pet. Pick up the differences between these feelings." Spike opened his door and looked at his companion, "You comin' pet?"

The two rose gracefully from the battered and beaten car and walked down the stairs and into the club. They entered through the doors at the bottom of the stairs, past the metal detectors and were met by a tall green demon with red horns erupting from his forehead.

"Hi I'm The Host, welcome to my sanctuary. Get up on stage and sing if you want a reading, otherwise sit, have a drink, enjoy yourself."

The Host crossed the room to the corner table, applauding every step of the way to meet the demon who'd just finished murdering Michal Jackson's "Beat It".

"What did he mean by a reading?"

"He's an empath demon. He can read people's thoughts and feelings. He's effectively a demon shrink."

"Why the singing?"

"It makes things easier for them apparently. I think he'll know something."

"You're gonna sing?"

"Gonna have to aren't I"

Tara grinned, "What're you gonna sing?"

"Not entirely sure yet. Probably the sex pistols"

Tara smirked at him, "What about Billy Idol?"

He laughed at her, "He stole my look you know."

"I bet he did."

"He did."

Tara smirked and turned, looking back over her shoulder "I'll be at the bar when you're done. You want anything?"

"Jack and blood if they have it, just a beer if they don't. Wish me luck."

"You'll b fine sweetie." Tara walked back and kissed him before pushing off against him and walking across the room to the bar, her hips swinging as they go.

Spike's eyes were glued to her until she was eventually concealed behind a curtain of demons. He strode over to the side of the stage, slicing his way through the crowd like a ship through water before he came to the demon at the side of the stage.

"Song and artist."

"Rebel Yell, Billy Idol."

"You're serious?"  
"Ladies request mate. Set it up."

"Ok."

Spike walked up onto the stage as guitar chords resounded throughout the room, the sound of the bass thumping in the floor. He approached the microphone and looked out across the sea of demons in front of him to his girl at the bar. He pulled the stand towards him and his low voice began to lull the crowd, attracting the attention of everyone in the room. As he hit the chorus and his voice grew louder the crowd exploded into cheers.

Tara's grin widened. She looked over to the host. He was totally transfixed by the vampire on the stage and his face was suddenly overcome with a huge smile. He beckoned to Tara. She picked up the drinks and walked over to the corner table.

"You're boy's got 'em hooked."

"What are you seeing?"

"He's happy."

"Do you know why we're here?"

"Oh yea. Don't worry you're witchy little head about it Glinda. I've got the address. I can take you there after closing."

"Thank you."

Spike finished and crossed the room to The Host and Tara, taking his whiskey and blood from her.

"So where is he mate?"

"You don't waste any time do you? As I was just telling your friend I can take you there after closing. But that's just the surface. If you sit down we can talk over..."

"Sorry mate I don't need a shrink."

"I meant your slayer problem. She's not gonna let this lie. How do you know Angel cakes is gonna believe you. I know about the whole sire/childe thing but how do you know he'll believe you over her?"

"Because he knows when I'm lying. It's impossible for me to lie to him without him knowing it's happening. Besides he knows me. Do state smoking laws apply in here?"

"No they don't. This place is like a foreign embassy. Technically its Pylean soil as far as the city is concerned."

Spike nodded his approval and lit up a cigarette, sipping at his drink. "So what's your name?"

"I told you I'm The Host"

"Yea I know but what's your real name"

The Host sighed in defeat, "It's Lorne. I don't use it in this dimension because I got tired of the Lorne Green jokes"

"Ok. So what time's closing Lorne?"

"About 3ish. It depends how many people are here. It's pretty quiet tonight."

Tara turned and looked out at the sea of demons. "THIS is quiet?"

"Oh yea. This place is usually packed to the rafters. Angel must be interrogating people again. Demons know he comes here to find people for info so they steer clear if he's looking"

Spike snorted, "Sounds like him. So how about you close this place up and we get goin'. I'm bloody knackered."

Lorne laughed and bounded up onto the stage, taking the microphone from the latest Tina Turner impersonating demon. "Sorry guys but that's all we have time for tonight so could you please make your way to the exit and we'll see you again real soon."

The demons walked, grumbling out of the bar. As the room cleared Lorne turned to the two blondes. "Okay do you guys have a car?"

"Yea it's just outside"

"Then let's go."

The three followed the crowd of demons out of the bar and climbed into the Desoto. The low engine grumbled as it spluttered into life. Spike drove fast, following the instructions of a slightly worried Lorne. They pulled up outside a slightly rundown hotel when Lorne told them to stop.

"What is it mate? Too fast for you?"

"No I have no problem with life in the fast lane at times but we're here. This is where "Angel Investigations" has it's headquarters."

"Angel Investigations?"

"They help the hopeless."

Spike snorted "They are the bleeding hopeless more like"  
Tara smiled slightly, "Come on. Let's go."

The three climbed out of the car and entered the hotel to find a bored looking Cordelia filing her nails and reading a magazine on the counter that was once the reception.

"Hey Cheerleader where's the poof?"

"Angel, Captain Bleach is here. Hold on, shit, ANGEL SPIKE'S HERE GET A CROSSBOW"

"Calm down you daft bint I'm not here to kill ya. Here on friendlier terms this time."

Angel stepped out of the office at the bar in game face. "What do you want Spike?"

"We need sanctuary. Slayer wants to off us both."

"Her too? But she's human, albeit a powerful one."

"Yea she kind of evicted the slayer from my crypt through a concrete wall. I'm surprised you haven't got a phone call yet to be honest."

Angel laughed slightly before remembering that he was supposed to be angry, "why should i help you Spike?"

"You can read me like a book mate. I want to start over and I need your help to do it."

Angel looked at Spike, his face serious. His face softened and his human visage returned to the fore. "You know what'll happen if you're tricking me William"

"I do," Spike looked at Angel, with a look of what can only be described as love in his eyes. He saw that Cordelia had noticed and was grinning so he returned to his usual smirk, "Anyway now that's settled where's our room?"

"Upstairs. Take your pick of any vacant rooms. You might even get one that's not scorched. But we need to talk. If you're staying here you can't go getting in the way. I know what you're like William."

Spike rolled his eyes, "Don't worry Peaches, I don't want anything to do with you or your branch of the Scooby gang. Might help hunt occasionally. If I'm not killing humans I want an outlet for my, less loving side." Spike turned to Tara and winked.

Angel sighed and turned back into his office, "Fine. Go find a room." Angel walked into his office massaging his temples. Spike had been back two minutes and he already had a migraine. The unwelcome, shrill ring of the phone broke the silence. He rubbed his forehead as he picked up the receiver. "Angel Investigations we help the hope.."

"Angel. It's Spike. He's got Tara, He's got her under some kind of spell..."

Angel laughed into the phone, "No he hasn't. They love each other. I only saw them for two minutes and even I can see that. The way they look at each other says it all. Leave them be. Just because they damaged your pride doesn't mean they're evil."

"You really think I'm that shallow? Angel she threw us through a wall."

"Because you were trying to kill her boyfriend. They came here to get away from you. Leave them be. Spike has changed. He really is trying to be better."  
"How do you know?"  
"I'm his Grandsire. I can tell. I can see it in his eyes."

"Angel he's dangerous we have to stake him."

Angel started to get very annoyed, "Buffy. If you want to come stake him feel free. But if you do you have to go through me. And if you get that far Tara and another MASTER VAMPIRE will be against you so give it up."

Angel heard her choke on tears "Don't get in my way Angel. I mean it. I WILL kill you"

"Try it" Angel hung up the phone and turned to face a stunned Cordelia who was standing in the doorway. He shrugged, "What?"

"You just gave the SLAYER an invitation to kill you. I mean, I don't like her but she's still the Slayer."  
"You really think this is the first time she's threatened to kill me?"

He stood and walked past her with a Spike-esque smirk on his face. Spike was sitting in the lobby and looked up at him, "Thanks for that."

"You heard that then"

"You're not the only vampire here peaches"

Angel scowled, "Be careful or i might change my mind"

"Whatever. So who you lookin for? Lorne said you might be interrogating."

"How does he know?"  
"Apparently the club was emptier than normal."

Angel let out a snort of laughter, "There's been a nest of vampires laying siege to the local hospital after the blood drives. Easy meals. I wouldn't usually mind but the hospital staff who get in their way are being killed."

"Then what are we waiting for?" Spike stood up and walked over to Angel's weapons cupboard.

"What?"

"Well let's go look. Bang heads together and all that. Be just like the old days. Only this time we're doin people a service"

Angel smiled over at his grandchilde, who was now wielding a silver long sword, "Fine, grab me an axe and lets go."


End file.
